It has become commonplace in the broad field of access control for locks and keys to incorporate electronic components that control various aspects of the locking and unlocking process. Indeed, the automobile industry has long been familiar with keyless entry systems that utilize electronic components to control access to a vehicle.
In other areas of access control, for example securing areas of a large commercial building wherein locks are installed on doors, cabinets, and other enclosures, it is desirable to replace traditional mechanical lock cylinders in an access control system with electronic or electro-mechanical locks.
In access control systems incorporating electronic or electro-mechanical locks, it is often advantageous to provide a system administrator or system user with the ability to monitor and/or control the operation of electronic locks from a computer station, for example by connecting the electronic locks to a data network via a wireless local area network (WLAN) or a permanent hardwire connection. However, the costs associated with installing, connecting, and maintaining such a system may be prohibitive, particularly in a large or sprawling complex. Moreover, the location of certain locks may not be conducive to either form of connection. In addition to maintaining an adequate communications infrastructure, dedicated administration software is generally required to manage the access control system. This software adds additional costs to the system and computer updates or hardware changes may cause system malfunctions.